Jesus Is Life

Moscow Christian Church

Title: Jesus is Life

Bruce Pierce

Scripture: John 5:24-30

Date: 3/6/2022

Introduction:

The story is told that one morning Albert Einstein got on a train in Munich. He was to be the keynote speaker at a conference later that afternoon. He had all of his notes and books to review while he was on the trip. But – when the train conductor went to check Dr Einstein’s ticket, there was a problem.

The absent-minded professor had forgotten his tickets.

The train conductor told the famous scientist – “Don’t worry sir, I know who you are. You are welcome to stay aboard.”

Einstein replied, “Thank you sir, I too know who I am, but I don’t know where I am going.”

In Jesus’ day – a man knew exactly where he was going… sadly, for him it was nowhere.

The early verses of John 5 tell of us of this man – He had been ill for nearly 40 years. He was lying near a pool surrounded by crowds of others. Many were sick, some were blind, some were limping, and some were paralyzed. Everyone had come to this spot to be healed.

The local legend said that an angel would stir the water – and whoever got in first – would be blessed and healed.

Jesus saw the man – He understood the man’s condition – and that it had afflicted him for years. So, He asked the man, “Do you want to get well?”

SLIDE In verse 7 we read:

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

All of us can at some level feel this man’s pain and emotion. All of us know what it is like to see others blessed – and the nagging desire to see our own blessings.

All of us know that feeling of frustration and jealousy that can pop up when someone else gets “our blessing.” We know the heartache of being stuck in a situation that we cannot get out of on our own – and the loneliness that eats at us as we cry out for help with no answer.

With a glance in the man’s eyes – Jesus saw all of this – and much more.

SLIDE: Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

SLIDE: At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,

As Jesus blended into the crowd –the Jewish leaders asked the man who had healed him.

They said to him – “It is the Sabbath – you can’t walk around with your mat! The law forbids it!”

The man told them – “The man who healed me – He told me to pick up my mat and walk.”

A short time later Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him.

SLIDE v14 “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”

The man went away – and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

John tells us – that because of this – the Jewish leaders began to hate Jesus and look for a way to kill Him.

For them – it was ok for Jesus to heal someone – but there was no way that could be of God – if it was done on a Sabbath –

The day of rest – Saturday was to be fully devoted to God – and the work of healing – that could be done any other day of the week.

Yet by healing on the Sabbath – Jesus was making a statement. By His actions – He was saying God works on the Sabbath.

And He said it with His lips. By His statements – Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. In other words – He claimed to be God.

There are a lot of misconceptions in our culture about who Jesus is.

Some say he is a great teacher, a philosopher. Others say He was a good man. Some say He was a prophet. Over the next 8 weeks – we are going to look at the question – Who is Jesus?

Many, like Einstein – have no idea where they are going. Others like the man at the pool are stuck going nowhere.

But Jesus shows us – we are all heading somewhere – and we need to be Obedient to Him.

The Pharisees, Scribes, Priests and Levites that were gathered around Jesus would not accept the work He was doing and they would not accept Jesus as He is.